Manchester Utd star pays tribute to his favourite band

Jul 9, 2008

Wayne Rooney has got a new tattoo - the title of an album by his favourite band Stereophonics.



The prominent tattoo, on the inside of his right forearm, reads 'Just Enough Education To Perform', the title of the band's 2001 Number One album.

Rooney's choice of tattoo is believed to reference his own education - he left school without any GCSEs as he trained three days a week with Everton.

Stereophonics recently played a surprise gig for the footballer at his wedding celebrations.

His bride, Colleen McLoughlin, organised for the group to play as a gift to Rooney.

During Euro 2008 I was astonished by the sheer number of players who had stuff tattooed on their forearms.

It's immensely common place now, I'm not quite sure at what point such a rock & roll accessory became de riguer for footballers. I am sure having a tattoo used to be sign of non-conformity worth remarking on for players like Stuart Pearce. Who was the first notable player to sport one?

A Worst Tattoo of Euro 2008 competition (let alone a Worst Tattoo in Modern Football one) would be some titanic struggle, wouldn't it?

Beckham, Cisse, Materazzi.

Names to conjour with in that regard.

*shivers*

Leaving aside the embarrassment of a Stereophonics tattoo, was it too much to expect Wazza not to pick a design which clashes horrifically with the colour of his fucking skin?

There was a very funny thread on a Celtic message board a while ago, to guess what the tattoo on the back of Barry Ferguson's neck said (it is in fact a series of numbers, the date that one of his kids was born).

My own favourite was "BLACKBURN TILL I DIE".

Who was the first notable player to sport one?

Joey Jones?

Oh, good call!



It would be interesting to note when footballer's tattos changed from the sailor/squaddie stlyle of Jones/Pearce to this more current pretentious rock star look as well.

It is going to be Beckham's fault in the end, isn't it?

And by uncanny coincidence, Mickey Thomas had the first piercing.

This man deserves a dishonourable mention

Hmmm, there's a recurring theme happening here.

Lee Peacock deserves a mention here:

Bored Of Football wrote:

QUOTE:
This man deserves a dishonourable mention

Hmmm, there's a recurring theme happening here.

QUOTE:
I have a simple rose on my left forearm. Classic...I then marked my achievement of winning the FA Cup, with Wimbledon in 1988 with this FA Cup Tattoo on the outside of my right leg...Having helped Leeds to the second division championship in 1989/90, I got their rose on the outside my left leg, to neatly balance the FA Cup on the other leg. £60 well spent....Getting the captaincy for Wales, was such a proud moment for me, I really felt like the governor....a beauty put on my chest - the dragon and the feathers...This tattoo will definitely last as long as my pride at becoming captain.

He is just pure class, isn't he?

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be a tribute to Ray Parlour who announced his retirement this week. (Yes, I thought he'd quietly retired ages ago too)
Does he have any tattoos?

Johanista wrote:

QUOTE:
When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be a tribute to Ray Parlour

Er, why?

No idea, but I always rather liked Ray Parlour for some reason.

Oh, hang on "Parlour" is in the title, isn't it? I see now.